THE Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery, located in Muir of Ord, has been named Scotland's Leading Distillery Tour 2024 at the World Travel Awards (WTA), a ceremony dubbed ‘the Oscars of tourism’, further cementing the Highlands' reputation as one of Scotland’s top whisky tourism destinations.

The Singleton of Glen Ord, which re-opened its doors in 2022 as part of Diageo’s £185-million investment into Scotch tourism, is a celebration of the best of Scotland and was created with the vision of not only honouring the slow-crafted single malt and its history, but also to give locals and tourists an immersive experience, where they can explore everything the Highlands has to offer.

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Adding to a list of prestigious award wins, the venue walked away with a top accolade from the ceremony, often referred to as ‘the Oscars of tourism’ last week, being awarded for its excellence and innovation within the category for Scotland. Sitting on the famous North Coast 500 route and accessible by bus or train from Inverness, the visitor attraction is known for working closely with suppliers from around the area to provide visitors with stellar local produce, cultural moments with home-grown artists, as well as immersive and unusual whisky tasting experiences.

The distillery and brand home has been designed to offer a variety of experiences for visitors from near and far. From its Malt to Cask Tour, which offers visitors a chance to explore onsite drum maltings, sneak a glimpse into the bonded warehouse, and even taste the award-winning malt straight from the cask; to The Singleton Distillery Tour a guided introduction to the process to the superior malt, plus a tasting of three unique expressions; as well as a circular Bar & Deli area known for hosting Singleton Sessions with local musicians and showcasing the very best of Scotland’s larder.

The Singleton Distillery was also named Visitor Attraction of the Year at the Icons of Whisky Scotland and World Whiskies Awards 2024 in December last year, as well as a Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Award having been consistently rated by the public as a five-star attraction in 2023.

Just a 10-minute walk from the Glen Ord train station and a 35-minute drive from Inverness Airport, the re-imagined whisky distillery and experience is conveniently located for those exploring the North Coast 500, and for those looking for a weekend trip with a difference. Diageo worked closely with Euan’s Guide, a charity that works to improve accessibility, to make The Singleton brand home more accessible.

Leigh Aitken, Brand Home Manager at The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery, said: “To be named as Scotland’s Leading Distillery Tour by one of the biggest tourism award bodies in the world is such an honour. As an official partner of the North Coast 500, and one of the closest single malt distilleries to Inverness we look forward to welcoming even more people into the Highlands to try out our award-winning whisky experiences.

“Scotland is famous for our unmatched larder, scenery, and of course whiskies and in particular has so to come out on top of this category is testament to the versatile offering we have here, thanks to our team of whisky experts, bartenders, and local suppliers who each give us that extra something special.”

Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh, another piece of Diageo’s investment into Scotch tourism was also awarded at the ceremony which took place in Berlin. The visitor attraction, which gained the title of the World’s Leading Spirit Experience last year’s WTAs was named Europe's Leading Spirit Tourism Experience 2024, adding a list of industry leading accolades.

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